Telephone receiver holder



Oct. 28, 1941. A. J. DALY 2,260,703

TELEPHONE RECEIVER HOLDER Filed July 27, 1940 Patented Oct. 28, 194

TELEPHONE RECEIVER HOLDER Arthur James Daly, New York, N. Y. Application July 27, 1940, Serial No. 347,875

Claims.

The present invention relates to an improvement in telephone receiver holders, and has for its principal object, the provision of means, for coacting with a desk set telephone either of the standard or French types, whereby the receiver in the one case, or the combined receiver-transmitter in the other case, may be conveniently and operatively held mechanically, during use, and thus free both hands of the user, and preventing fatigue, during telephone conversations.

A feature of advantage lies in a structure for mounting the telephone set on a base which may be a common support for both the receiver and transmitter in both types of telephones.

A further feature of advantage lies in the provision of holding means whereby to permit of universal adjustment of the holding means whereby the receiver holder may be manipulated to hold the receiver in the most convenient and comfortable position, according to the users stature and position, relative to the telephone in and during use.

A further feature of advantage lies in the provision of a receiver holder which will instantly, positively and operatively hold, or release the receiver, as desired.

The foregoing features, and other capabilities and features of advantage will be apprehended as the herein description'proceeds, and it will be obvious that modifications may be made in the structure herein disclosed without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of one form of the device applied to a desk telephone;

Fig. 2 is a view, in elevation, of a further modification as applied to a so-called French telephone;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, plan view; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the ransmitter hook lock means.

The device comprises a, preferably, metal base I, of combined plan outline which will embrace both the circular base of a desk telephone, or the oval base of a French telephone, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The base is provided with an upstanding flange 8, which flange embraces, in part,

either of the telephone bases with their dialing devices D, and stabilizes the mounting of the telephones thereon. The base being of heavy metal acts as a base and an anchor for the telephones, when they are removably, or otherwise mounted thereon as shown.

The base is provided with an outstanding, ex-

tending arm 2, which fixedly mounts a solid cylindrical post 4 in its bushed end 6.

A sleeve 5 which is mounted upon the post 4, at its upper end, mounts one end of a flexible, metallic tube F, th upper end of which tube, which is of suitable length for its purpose, mounts a-rigid sleeve Ill. The sleeve I0 is fitted with a flexible receiver clamp or rib l5. By this means, either clamp C of Fig. 1, or the clamp C of Fig. 2 may be attached to the sleeve in. By this construction the clamp C of Fig 1 and/or the clamp C' .of Fig. 2 may be mounted as desired, to support the different type of receivers or receiver-transmitter.

By the construction above noted, and due to the flexibly tubular upright F, the receiver holding.

clamps C or C may be adjusted in any angular or axial position, relative to the telephone to suit the comfort and desire of the user.

The clamp C of Fig. 1 is formed to removably mount and quickly receive the receiver T of the desk telephone I, Fig. '1, and comprises a main channel shaped base rib l5, Fig. l, the outer ends of which each may integrally support a pair of upstanding, more or less resilient, opposed ears l6 and IT. The ears l6 and I1 are preferably rounded on their outer ends and are bowed outwardly to resiliently lit the cylindrical cross section of the receiver, the said ends being slightly incurved to force the receiver T to be sprung into and out of holding position, and to enhance the grip of the clamp ears thereon, against inadvertent displacement of the receiver, when in use.

The clamp C of Fig. 2 has parts, which are similar to those described for Fig. 1, indicated by like indices. The difference of the clamp C, Fig. 2, over clamp C of Fig. 1, is that the former clamp has a different arrangement of resilient grasping fingers IT, on opposite ends, and as will be noted in Fig. 2. The fingers ll of Fig. 2, as formed, act as a basket in which to cradle, the lower end of the transmitter portion 22 of the French transmitter-receiver member T, Fig. 2, when it is usefully inclined at an adjustable operative angle in the holder, as there shown.

The other fingers l6 of clamp C, while similar in position and contour when viewed in Fig. 2 to those shown in Fig. 1, are bent, and the extreme ends are curved inwardly, so as to firmly embrace the construction of the transverse end contours of the member T.

In operation, both members T and T are ifted from their regular telephone supports and are easily and quickly mounted upon the holders C and C in their operative positions, and as easily and quickly removed and replaced to their respective telephone connections, when desired.

The flexible shaft 3, mounted on the flxed base post 4, permits of adjustably positioning the members T or T in any operative position during operative use of the telephone, an adjustable telephone switch control means, generally denoted by A, Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, is arranged to be clampably mounted upon the adjustable, flexible tubular support 3.

The clamp means A comprises a sleeve 23, having integral extending arms 24-24, divided by a split or kerf S, Fig. 3, which are adjustably clamped together by a threaded thumb nut N upon the flexible sleeve 3. This construction permits of locking adjustment of the clamp means 23 upon the sleeve 3, in desired operative position upon said sleeve to permit its locked adjustment upon said sleeve for use with the desk telephone of Fig. 1, or for use with the French telephone of Fig. 2, as illustrated in said figures.

The foregoing noted adjusted positions permit the use of the device to hold the hook K or switch K of either type of telephone closed, or in position of release, as will hereinafter be disclosed in operative detail.

The clamp sleeve A, at the side opposite to the clamping yokes 24-24, is provided with a yoke member comprising two spaced integral arms Y--Y, which support a pivot 25, upon which is swingably mounted a hook or switch control arm 30, the outer end of which pivotally supports a hook or switch contacting roller R, Figs. 1 to 4,

inclusive.

The inner end of the arm 30, beyond pivot 25, has an integral extension 26, Figs. 3 and 4, which fits between the yoke arms Y-Y, which flts between the yokes Y-Y, Fig. 3, said extension being provided with an open ended bore 21 at one end, in which a resilient coiled spring s is mounted, on the blind end of the bore 21, Figs. 3 and 4, and which stresses the spring s inwardly against a lock pin 28, Figs. 3 and 4.

The rounded outer end of the pin relative to the spring s is in contact with an arcuate cam surface, generally denoted by H, which is of such circular formation as to be radial, relative to the pivotal center from the pivot 25, as shown in Fig. 4. The inner end of the lever extension 26 is curved to suit the radial movement of lever extension 26, as may be seen in Fig. 4, and the seat face of inner extension H is likewise curved.

The face of cam surface H is provided with two radial indents I and I, Fig. 4, which act as seats for radially locating, in at least two positions, X and Xa, Fig. 4, lower, down X cut-out position and upper Xa open position of the telephone switch positions.

As disclosed in Fig. 4, a manual movement of the arm 30, downwardly closes the phone switch, such as arm I, Fig. 1, and a manual lifting of the arm- 30, opens the hook arm K for conversation. The. arm 30, is in its upper, open arm position in Fig. 2, and manual operation to throw down the arm 30, from the poised, open position R, in Figs.

1 and 2, this action causes the hook K of Fig. 1, or the switch K of Fig. 2, to be closed, thus closing the telephone circuits of either type.

In positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the telephone circuits are open. In the full line position shown in Fig. 4, the circuit of the telephone of Fig. 1 is closed.

In the use of the present device, after the proper adjustment of the clamping sleeve 23 upon the flexible shaft 8, in order to locate the control switch arm 30 in proper operative relation to the switches K or K of the telephone sets of Figs. 1 or 2, the receivers T or T are thus controlled in open or switch closing position for use.

The receivers T or T are normally left mounted upon their respective clamps C or C, in relative ear listening or operative positions, as shown in Figs. 1 or 2, and, when the telephone is in use, the control switch arm 30, is normally swung up to close the telephone circuit, and upon cessation of conversation, and arm 30 may be manually snapped down, as shown in Fig. 4, in full lines to cut off the telephone circuit. The arm 30, by means of the plunger pin 28, is thus automatically locked in either manually controlled closed or open circuit position, by the stop indents I or 1', position X or Xa, Fig. 4, as desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A holder for a telephone having a circuit switch and receiver, comprising abase for removably mounting a telephone; a flexible, substantially upright support mounted on said base; a receiver holding cradle mounted on the upper end of said support; a sleeve adjustably mounted on said support; an arm mounted for selective movement on said sleeve and adapted to engage said telephone switch, whereby pressure normal to the earpiece of the receiver by the ear of the operator causes lifting of said arm from the switch.

2. A holder for a telephone having a circuit switch and receiver, comprising a base for removably mounting a telephone and a projection on said base oilset therefrom; a flexible, adjustable, substantially upright support rotatably mounted on said projection; a receiver holding cradle mounted on the upper end of said support; a sleeve adjustably mounted on said support and having a yoke member provided with axially alined pivot holes in the arms of said yoke, the yoke portion between said arms having an arcuate cam surface and indents therein; a lever pivotally mounted between the arms of said yoke for movement in a substantially vertical plane,

one end of said lever being provided with an enlarged portion located between said arms, and having an open ended longitudinal bore therein and a longitudinally movable lock pin and a coil spring in said bore to yieldably hold said locking pin engaged in said indents whereby said lever may be selectively held in difierent angular positions; the other end of said lever being adapted to engage said telephone switch, whereby pressure normal to the earpiece of the receiver by the ear of the operator causes lifting of said lever from said switch.

3. A holder for a telephone having a circuit switch and receiver, comprising a base for removably mounting a telephone; a projection on said base offset therefrom; a flexible, adjustable substantially upright support rotatably mounted on said projection; a receiver holding cradle mounted on the upper end of said support; a split sleeve clamp adjustably mounted on said support and having a yoke member provided with axially alined pivot holes in the arms of said yoke, a lever pivotally mounted on said yoke and having a roller mounted on one end thereof adapted to engage said telephone switch, and locking means mounted on the other end of said lever and yieldably engaging said clamp between yoke arms whereby said lever and switch may be selectively held in open or closedposition and enable the support to remain stationary.

4. In a holder for a telephone having a circult switch and receiver, a flexible, adjustable support a receiver holding cradle mounted thereon; a member mounted on said support having an, arcuate cam surface and indents therein; a lever pivotally mounted on said member and having one end thereof adapted to engage said telephone switch, the other end of said lever being provided with an extension having an open ended bore; a resiliently movable lock pin in said bore engaging said indents whereby said lever and switch may be selectively held in open or closed position.

' 5. A holder for a telephone having a circuit switch and receiver, comprising a base for removably mounting a telephone and a projection on "said base ofiset therefrom; a flexible, adjustable substantially upright support rotatably mounted on said projection; a receiver holding cradle mounted on the upper end of said support; a sleeve adjustably mounted on said support and having a yoke member provided with axially alined pivot holes in the arms of said yoke, the yoke portion between said arms hav-- ARTHUR JAMES DALY. 

